Massachusetts State Police arrest man who allegedly drove wrong way on I-93 in Boston

Update, 1:40 p.m. State police have identified the man in custody as Richard S. Saunders.

Update, 1 p.m.: A man has been taken into state police custody.

BOSTON – Massachusetts State Police units were involved in a pursuit of a driver who allegedly drove the wrong way on Interstate 93 in Boston in an incident that began just before noon Monday, according to David Procopio of the State Police Office of Media Relations.

Richard S. Saunders, 48, whose last known address was Reading, was taken into custody in the Port Norfolk neighborhood of Boston after abandoning his vehicle, police said. He was undergoing treatment at Boston Medical Center for minor injuries.

Saunders will face charges in Suffolk County related to his failure to stop for police, operating to endanger, receiving a stolen motor vehicle, and related charges. He may also face charges in Middlesex County related to larceny of a motor vehicle, Procopio said. He said Reading police had a warrant for Saunders' arrest for similar charges.

The pursuit began on Adams Street in Dorchester after State Police Sgt. Michael Fiore of the K-9 Section spotted a black Dodge Caravan that had been reported stolen out of Medford at 11:59 a.m.

According to Procopio, Fiore, after seeking and receiving authorization, began a slow-speed pursuit of the Caravan, which refused to stop for him. The female passenger exited the vehicle in the area of Granger Street.

The pursuit continued down Dorchester Avenue, through Everett Square and Andrew Square, onto Old Colony Boulevard, and into Koscuisko Circle in South Boston, and the Caravan entered Morrissey Boulevard going the wrong way against traffic, at which point state police ended the pursuit, Procopio said.

He said state police continued attempting to monitor the vehicle, which entered I-93 northbound driving in a southbound direction.

The wrong-way operator caused a four-car crash on I-93 north just south of Freeport Street and got off the highway in the Neponset area, Procopio said. There were no reported injuries in the crash.

After the Caravan exited the highway into Neponset Circle, state and Boston Police began a manhunt and located the vehicle abandoned in the Port Norfolk neighborhood.

Troopers and officers found the suspect at approximately 12:15 p.m. hiding under a parked pickup truck on Taylor Street in the Port Norfolk neighborhood, Procopio said. Saunders was taken into state police custody.

Police continue to search for the female passenger, described as wearing a gray hoodie and jeans.